Ghent, Belgium – Milliken & Company announced today that it has won the prestigious EUROPUR Innovation Award for the company’s Milliguard™ AOX-1 polymer-bound antioxidant for polyurethane (PU) which gives the automotive industry a unique solution for compliance with toughening indoor air quality standards for vehicles. EUROPUR, the European Association of Flexible Polyurethane Foam Blocks Manufacturers, created this award to recognize excellence and professionalism in the flexible PU foam industry. Antoni Puig, product line manager, EMEA – PU Colorants & Additives, and Sven De Vis, European technical manager, accepted the award on behalf of Milliken on June 8 at the 50th anniversary celebration of EUROPUR in Brussels, Belgium.

“Winning the EUROPUR Innovation Award - after taking an R&D 100 Award late last year – further validates the importance of our Milliguard AOX-1 Antioxidant technology as a growing material of choice in a wide range of interior automotive applications,” said Jesse Shoultz, global market manager for Performance Colorants & Ingredients at Milliken & Company. “This patented solution enables polyol producers and foam manufacturers to create interior vehicle components that meet automotive OEMs’ stringent requirements for improved indoor air quality. As VOC and FOG regulations tighten around the world, Milliken continues to lead compliance efforts with high-performance products that enhance sustainability, health and safety.”

Milliguard AOX-1 antioxidant also contributes to sustainability by enhancing the performance of natural oil polyols (NOPs) and non-halogenated flame retardants. It encourages use of NOPs by eliminating concerns about out-of-control auto-oxidation that can cause discoloration. Similarly, this antioxidant has been proven to stabilize non-halogenated flame retardants, reducing both discoloration and phenol emissions.

As part of the global chemical industry, EUROPUR is committed to Responsible Care®. This means that the organization seeks to continuously improve the environmental, health and safety knowledge and performance of PU technologies, processes and products.

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About Milliken

Milliken is an innovation company that has been exploring, discovering, and creating ways to enhance people’s lives since 1865. Working from our laboratories, application and development centers around the world, our scientists and engineers create coatings, specialty chemicals, and advanced additive and colorant technologies that transform the way we experience products from automotive plastics to children's art supplies. With expertise across a breadth of disciplines that also includes floor covering and performance materials, the people of Milliken work every day to add true value to people’s lives, improve health and safety, and make this world more sustainable. For more information, visit www.millikenchemical.com.

The Milliken logo is a trademark of Milliken & Company.Milliguard is a registered trademark of Milliken & Company.Responsible Care is a registered service mark of the American Chemistry Council, Inc.